Wednesday, February 27, 2013

49ers coach Alan Major, Pierria Henry and Chris Braswell all said the right things after the game (the 49ers' fifth loss in their past six games): That they would keep fighting, playing hard and that the season isn't over.

But the team's confidence and level of play is at such a low point right now (how else to you describe an average losing margin of 19.7 points over the last three games?), it's hard to imagine how they can get this thing turned around.

Just two weeks ago, the 49ers had beaten Butler and were a popular pick to make the NCAA tournament as an at-large team, or at the very least, considered on the bubble. Now, at 18-9 and 6-7 in the Atlantic 10 (and one game out of 13th place), they're in a free fall and could miss the conference tournament if they're not careful.

What once looked like a favorable schedule over the final four games of the regular season is now anything but. After losing to Dayton (which hadn't won on the road in the league until coming to Halton), Charlotte plays two teams it's tied with in the standings (at St. Bonaventure on Saturday and home against St. Joseph's on March 9). In between those games is a road trip to last-place Duquesne.

Charlotte took a huge hit with the losses of DeMario Mayfield and J.T. Thompson. The 49ers are young -- with underachieving Chris Braswell the only senior in the rotation and the rest freshmen and sophomores. They'll need to grow up quickly now.

We are terrible. Charlotte should demand not only Major's job, but he scholarships from all of their players. Just garbage. There is only 2-3 real Div-I players on this team. Fire Major and Fire Judy today. TODAY!

IIRC Briscoe avg close to 12 or 13 ppg and shot 40%+ in the A-10 his soph year. Then Major started brainfarting and playing time and position games with him his jr year his numbers dropped and he bolted.

Now AM is doing the same to Braz. Major seems to be more concerned in holding Bobby Lutz recruits down than winning. Big reason why this Charlotte 49er program is being humiliated and has become an embarrassment to watch.

Why cant Major just forfeit? Once we are down by around 10 with less than mins left what is the point of playing. Just call the game and avoid another 20+ point loss. Losing by 10-15 is better than losing 20+!

-- Here's one way to look at Charlotte's nonconference schedule -- which has been criticized as being too soft (perhaps justifiably so), but was not assembled with an eye on helping the 49ers (10-1) get an at-large NCAA tournament berth -- that's not the goal yet of this young team

This is my first comment as I cannot remain silent anymore. I was one of the original students that sported Niners Upward Towards Success (NUTs) shirts. I was one of the few students that showed up for games at the old Charlotte Coliseum cheering on our team when we routinely got blown out by 40. During all the dark days of our program I have never lost hope that we will be better next year. Unfortunately, I have never been as discouraged as I am right now. I do believe that we have a more serious problem within the ranks of our program. It appears to me that our team fell apart after Mayfield was dismissed. Was Mayfield wronged in some way? To me, it seems that the team has lost faith in AM.

This is my first comment as I cannot remain silent anymore. I was one of the original students that sported Niners Upward Towards Success (NUTs) shirts. I was one of the few students that showed up for games at the old Charlotte Coliseum cheering on our team when we routinely got blown out by 40. During all the dark days of our program I have never lost hope that we will be better next year. Unfortunately, I have never been as discouraged as I am right now. I do believe that we have a more serious problem within the ranks of our program. It appears to me that our team fell apart after Mayfield was dismissed. Was Mayfield wronged in some way? To me, it seems that the team has lost faith in AM.

Spirits started upward as the lead built to 8 and the 49ers seemed to be running on all cyclinders. Before half-time you could sense trouble was brewing. After the break, they just seemed to totally fall apart. What the hell is going on with this team?

The recent string of Charlotte losses merely proves what prognosticators said before the season began---the 49ers would be young, inexperienced and unable to compete with the upper tier teams in the A-10. Losses to George Washington and Dayton prove Charlotte can't compete with lower tier teams either.

The perceptions of many commenting on this blog are that the team is in disarray. That may be true. If we look back over Coach Majors tenure, we have seen the same internal problems every year---players suspended, players quitting, players transferring, comments from players/public regarding lineup changes and game day coaching decisions. More conflict exists than is healthy for any organization.

When a university administration takes a chance on hiring an unproven coach (with no track record), it is a gamble. If one notices the women's program, which has had success in recent times, the trend has been that good coaches achieve and then soon leave for another job. Somehow, all of these actions (men's and women's) reflect a troubled basketball program. I think it may be time to find a new AD that is not a recycled women's basketball coach from yesteryear. The University needs fresh, new athletic leadership-after 3-4 decades.

I don't like Major. Period. However, I really like some of the players on this team. Clark, Clayton, Nickerson, Thorn will make a good front line next season. Now we just need concistent play from Henry and Ingram at the point. I think AM needs to go the juco route to find a big time scoring two guard. If he can do that this team will be a lot better next year. This season is over...

Don't give me the "this schedule wasn't built to go to the NCAA tournament." Judy Rose said when Bobby Lutz was fired the goal of this program was to make the NCAA EVERY YEAR. Now tell me old wise ones, how much closer are you to that goal three years after a new coach was hired. Seriously? WAKE UP people. Look around. She also said basketball would not suffer because of football. LOOK AROUND.

I don't care if we have 18 wins if 15 of them are against garbage teams. And if you are in the athletic department reading this and feel the need to keep shoving this down people's throats, you should be ashamed. Have some dignity for your profession. Look at your attendance. Fans are not as stupid as you THINK they are.

I don't care if we have 18 wins and 15 of them are against garbage teams - I AM GOING TO SUPPORT MY TEAM! And if you are a 49er fan reading this and feel the need to keep shoving this down people's throats, you should be ashamed! Have some dignity!

An "unproven" coach, making a helluva lot of money ! And if everything with the program wasn't keep a big secret (ie diamissals and transfers)fans may would be a bit more leniant towards Mr. Personality AM !

Same old lame 49ers! If the players don't care, why should the fans? How in the world can you beat Butler, have a shot at the NCAA, and then fold? This is all coaching. Braswell should be playing 35 minutes a game, Major is wrong on this. Your best players get the most minutes. It's elementary, really. Anyway, you can't just quit so stop whining. They need to show up and get the last three.

This was a real make or break year for BBALL at Charlotte, Team was better, Attendance was up, Hype was building, then all the air was let out of the ballon. Now you tell me what support will this program have next year when we are playing in that horrible Conference USA! I've had BBALL season tickets for over a decade but I honestly am considering not renewing next year, have better stuff to do with my time.......like go to Charlotte HORNETS games!!!!!!!HAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!

What a bunch of quitters! Frustrating yes to get blown out at home and not compete with average teams. Take a deep breath, every game is a new opportunity...all you whiners will feel better when they enter the A-10 at 21-9 (9-7)...at least they will get an NIT bid. They are not an NCAA caliber team anyway. They have too many average players and very little leadership. Those crying for Lutz should be crying for Sean Colson and Diego Guevara! They cared about winning. The best teams are consistent and this program hs not been consistently good for a long time....then we had Henry Williams, now we have Henry & Williams, what a difference!

I don't understand the team getting Thompson with 2 bad knees but getting rid of a local player with one knee injury Kj. Also getting rid of a proven small senior scoring guard in Briscoe but recruiting another small guard Ingram that you aren't sure about. The explosive shooting guard rarely gets in the game and still haven't erupted. The same ring around the Rosie interviews with major. Everyone clueless as to what he is saying. I think if a player is in rhythm at the end of first half don't you wanna stay with those players but not. Major goes back to script and the story ends the same as usual. No offense again cause that hot player is cold again and probably pissed. Its just amazing to see his techniques.

Meanwhile, the Women's program is doing better than ever. I have no doubt Judy is happy. I have had season tickets every year since Halton opened. I've had enough. I'm tired of seeing our best players chased away or dismissed from the team EVERY YEAR and then having those dismissals used as an excuse for poor performance; or having their confidence shattered by Major's mind games that they lose their ability to play effectively. I'm tired of seeing Major sit there doing nothing every time we receive a terrible call. I'm tired of watching what is billed as a great defensive team leave opposing shoters wide open every time down the court. I'm tired of watching total confusion on offense.

To make matters worse, it looks like we will be no better next year. At least make the NIT this year or next season will be my first to not have season tix to games in Halton.

I'm tired, too. I just stopped attending. It's easier than you think. It becomes so easy to just walk away ... further and further. We are no longer important to the fabric of this community's sports landscape. We may as well be Winthrop.

Come on guys. It could be worse. This could be like Bobby's final season. We could have 19 wins instead of 18 and we could be losing these end of season games by 1 point at the buzzer instead of getting blown out by 20.

I've been attending Niner games since Lew Massey was a freshman. I'll always be a Niner and never stop supporting them because of all the good things that have happened over the years......but its been a long, long time since I've really enjoyed a season of basketball. We have a great group of young kids on this team, but I see no leadership from the staff. Bras is no better now than he was 3 years ago, and thats very, very sad and dissapointing !

One thing is for sure, Miss Rose and her staff don't care about opinions. There is some sort of bubble on campus shielding them from public perception. I graduated in 84 and Im apathetic now. Im finished spending time or money with Niners until its professional and first class in effort.

MAJOR MUST GO.................THIS GUY IS A CLOWN..............JUDY, MAN UP AND FIRE HIM AND HIRE ANYONE ELSE BECUASE ANYONE COULD DO A BETTER JOB............ENJOY 1500 AT THE LAST HOME GAME AND MISSING THE CONFERENCE TOURNEY AGAIN.........

Judy won't fire him because if she did she would be admitting a monstrous mistake and Phil would have to fire her, too. That would be a great package deal. Get rid of both.

I still will never, ever understand how you replace Lutz - whether he had to go or not is up to debate - with someone who had never been a coach and then allow him to hire a staff who had no head coaching experience.

Just dumb. No vision. How does Phil allow that to happen? Same vision. Enough is enough.

Major has very young squad. I guess you could characterize season as first half - Overperformed, second half - Underperformed. Season in general - average, a wash. I would like to see a UNCC team do a little more on FT line. Seems school recruits players who CAN'T shoot free throws as a positive attribute. If I were a coach, I would require somewhere around 80% from the line or your ass would be benched.

Just a little perspective, Vince Carter is among the Top 200 NBA players of all time for career free throw shooting percentage. And he's on it despite shooting worse than 80%.

Plus, on this team, if you could shoot the basketball from beyond 8 feet with any sort of consistency there is a strong likelihood that Major will replace you in the lineup with a taller player. Major would rather have a taller guy who can't hit an open look under any circumstance attempt a three pointer than to have a shorter player who is automatic from long range attempt the same shot.

youth - whatever. Name one player Major has improved. Major can't develop. In fact he has destroyed Braswell's game.

40% - thats how much of our scoring is not here next year. Braz and Mayfield's points. A few (dumb few) act like SO MUCH of this team is young and 18 wins. NO. This team beat some bad teams with 3 seniors.

Anyone else think its strange Major has never been married? How is he supposed to mentor young men and never raised a child himself? Also speaks to his hard headedness. Major is not a "relationship" person.

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